Climate, Topography and Soils of New Zealand

New Zealand is a windy country with a clear atmosphere. Situated in the midst of a vast ocean and far removed from other large land masses, New Zealand has a maritime-temperate climate with rapid weather changes, frequent though not excessive rain, a small temperature range from winter to summer and plenty of sunshine. New Zealand's 268,000 square kilometres are mountainous, the main range running north-east to south-west with parallel smaller ranges. Plains occupy the eastern part of both large islands. The country is long, 1930 kilometres, and narrow, 400 kilometres at its widest part, and nowhere is more than 130 kilometres from the sea. The land lies between latitudes 34 degrees and 47 degrees south. There is considerable variability in New Zealand soils. These range from older soils in the South Island formed as a result of glacial activity to the more recent widespread North Island soils of volcanic origin. Generally they are thin, relatively immature and well drained and apart from small areas are naturally infertile. However, as a result of the climate and available technology very successful systems of pastoral production have been evolved on which the development of the nation has been built.